Are we one sneeze away from a1918-1919 influenza pandemic

And if you, or someone you know, has gone down with it, you will know just how different it is from your average cold.

Influenza can be very serious business. In 1918-19, the Spanish flu wiped out 50 million people worldwide and immunologists point out that death rates could easily rise again if we lose tools like antibiotics to counter the effects of flu viruses.

And if you're looking to apportion blame for your bout with the lurgy, you only need to go as far as your backyard - because it turns out that EVERY flu virus that has ever existed - has come from BIRDS.

But before you head outside with your blunderbuss to cull the local wildlife, you need to hear the rest of the story.